Monday, October 2, 2017

THE WEDDING AND SOME OTHER STUFF!

Well we have just finished up a VERY busy, but VERY fun week-end. I think I have probably mentioned that Melody and her family made their way to California this last week-end for her husband Mike's brothers wedding. All 5 of them were to be in it! It was in the local mountains here about an hour or so from our house. Melody rented a cabin for them to stay in for the week-end and invited us up there to stay with them not only so we could have a little time with them, but so that we could help out some with the kids since both she and Mike were also in the wedding and her kids are all soo young. Well trust me grandpa and I had NO PROBLEM hurrying up there to help out. I think I also have mentioned that I had made the flower girl dress for Claire, and as it turned out Melody needed me to help her fix both of the boys pants that were too big around as well. Soo I loaded up my sewing machine and we headed up around noon on Friday. As it turned out the dress fit PERFECTLY, and the pants were a super easy fix. My son James was to be the minister at the wedding, so he and his wife were there as well, and they too stayed in the large cabin they rented. They left their kids behind with their other grandparents though, so it was just Melody's kids we were dealing with, lol. After the actual rehearsal was over, the wedding party all went to the rehearsal dinner festivities, and grandpa and I got the kids dinner and babysat with them. The next day there was much for everyone to do. The day passed in a blur, and after the wedding ceremony itself was over they again dropped the kids off with us and they went to the wedding reception. The kids were honestly just as good as they could be, and we were both sooo happy to be spending time with them, and at the same time giving their parents the opportunity to sit and enjoy the reception without the hassle of dealing with a 2, 4, and newly turned 6 year old. Sam's birthday was on the 24th so we brought along his gift to open which included some things I made for him and a Shark game which they all loved and we played over, and over, and OVER! lol. The kids I guess did perfectly in their roles at the wedding which was soo good. We knew Sam and Luke would do well, but 2 yr. old Claire was a big role of the dice. But she got into it, and Melody was very relieved, lol. Most of the rest of what I want to share can be done so in pictures. Let me start with some of the things I made Sam for his birthday....

SOME BATMAN PJ'S

BATMAN PILLOWCASE

A HOODIE....I HAD THIS FABRIC LEFT OVER FROM LAST WINTER AND DECIDED TO STITCH THIS UP. IT WAS QUICK AND EASY AND HONESTLY IT WAS SOO CUTE ON HIM I MAY BE MAKING UP SOME MORE FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!

HERE HE IS SPORTING IT

AND THIS TEDDY BEAR! THIS WAS DONE AS AN "IN THE HOOP" PROJECT, AND HONESTLY HE IS EVEN CUTER IN PERSON. EACH OF THE PARTS (THE HEAD, THE BODY, THE ARMS, THE LEGS, THE EARS, AND THE MUZZLE) WERE ALL DONE AS A SEPARATE HOOPING, AND THAT PART WAS AS EASY AS CAN BE. OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN MAKE HIM ANY COLOR COMBINATION OR FABRIC THAT YOU CHOOSE. THEN!! THE HARD PART (FOR ME!) WAS SEWING BY HAND ALL THE PARTS TOGETHER AFTER YOU STUFFED THEM. NOT AS EASY AS YOU MIGHT THINK! IT WAS AWKWARD AND CUMBERSOME, AND FIDDLY. I PURCHASED A DOLL NEEDLE TO ATTACH THE MOVABLE ARMS AND LEGS, AND THAT TOOK A FEW TRIES TO GET IT RIGHT. WE WILL WAIT AND SEE HOW WELL IT HOLDS UP TO SOME "PLAY" BEFORE I MAKE ANY MORE OF THESE TOYS THOUGH, LOL

HE IS SITTING HERE AND STANDING IN THE ONE ABOVE. I ADDED THE BOW TIE WITH RIBBON. I SIMPLY TIED IT IN A BOW AND AROUND HIS NECK, AND THEN HOT GLUED IT IN A COUPLE OF PLACES

MOVABLE ARMS AND LEGS WERE CONNECTED WITH BUTTONS AND I USED SOME UPHOLSTERY THREAD WHICH I THOUGHT WOULD BE A LOT MORE DURABLE

THE DRESS THOUGH I STILL HAD THE HOOK AND EYE TO PUT ON

AND THERE SHE IS! I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE PROFESSIONAL PICTURES!

THIS IS WHAT SHE WAS DOING WHEN IT WASN'T HER TURN FOR PICTURES! LOL

SHE WAS SOOO HAPPY WITH HER LITTLE FLOWER GIRL BOX

APPARENTLY SHE KEPT EVERYONE TOTALLY AMUSED AS SHE WOULD CAREFULLY LAY DOWN SEVERAL PETALS AND THEN PICK THEM BACK UP AND PUT THEM IN HER BOX AND WALK A LITTLE BIT AND REPEAT THE PROCESS....ALL THE WAY TO THE ALTER, LOL I GUESS SHE HAD NO INTENTION OF LEAVING ANY OF "HER" FLOWERS BEHIND, LOL

GUESS IT WAS A REALLY PRETTY PLACE

THE BOYS RIGHT BEFORE THEY LEFT FOR THEIR PICTURES....I TOOK THIS ONE AND IT WAS JUST THE CUTEST THING. I LOVE THE RELATIONSHIP THESE TWO SHARE. HONESTLY JUST THE BEST OF FRIENDS!

HERE THEY HERE WITH THEIR UNCLE THE GROOM

GETTING ALL 3 OF THEM WITH A "GOOD" SMILE AT THE SAME TIME IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT! LOL

MIKE AND MEL

MELODY'S FAMILY BEFORE THEY LEFT FOR THE REHEARSAL.

CLAIRE GAVE GRANDMA A COUPLE OF PEDICURES, LOL

GRANDPA HAD PUT A MONKEY GAME ON HIS PHONE THAT THESE TWO JUST LOVED! LOL THEY LAUGHED AND LAUGHED AND LAUGHED AND TOOK TURNS SOOOOO WELL! YOU CAN TELL THEY ARE VERY USED TO TAKING TURNS AND SHARING, PLUS THEY JUST ENJOY THINGS TOGETHER. THEY LAUGHED AND ENJOYED RATHER IT WAS THEIR TURN OR NOT

AND OH HOW THEY LOVE BEING READ TO...ENTERTAINED THEM A LOT THIS WAY TOO

I CANNOT REMEMBER IF I SHARED HERE OR NOT ABOUT THE HALLOWEEN PJ'S I MADE FOR THE LITTLEST OF THE GRANDKIDS SORRY IF THIS IS A REPEAT! THESE WERE FOR CLAIRE. SHE IS SUPER INTO KITTIES RIGHT NOW SO SHE LOVED THESE

CLOSER LOOK AT THE FABRIC

SAM'S

LUKE'S

CLOSER LOOK AT THEIR SNAKE FABRIC, LOL

AND THESE SPIDER AND SPIDER WEB ONES WERE FOR VINNY

THESE 3 IN THEIRS....AGAIN GETTING THEM TO ALL LOOK AT THE SAME TIME AND SMILE....DOESN'T HAPPEN MUCH, LOL

AND VINNY IN HIS!

We decided to head home LATE Sat. night so that we would have the whole day on Sunday after a good nights rest in our own bed. I don't know about any of you, but for me, the older and older I get the better I sleep if I am in my own bed, lol. After church Jeff and I went to see that new movie a Question of Faith. It was sooo good with such a wise, good message. But let me warn you, and real tear jerker. After the movie we headed over to my oldest son's house for dinner. Last Thursday the 28th was my birthday so our oldest son Joe and his wife wanted us to come over to celebrate a little bit. She made lime/garlic shrimp tacos, and rice and beans and a delicious salad, and for dessert they got me a gluten free peanut butter chocolate chip cookie and ice cream! Let me tell you it was ALL just to die for! Leah is such a good cook! My son and his family have been very blessed indeed. We had such a good time with all of them as well. It was just the perfect end to such a GOOD week-end.

I SAT AND WATCHED HER MAKE THE SAUCE FOR THESE BUT COULDN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW, LOL. BUT THEY WERE SOOOO GOOD. I COULD HAVE ALMOST LICKED MY PLATE, LOL.

Of course my heart is sooo heavy with the tragedy that took place in Las Vegas last night. My kids all had MANY of their friends who were at that concert, and thankfully all of them were OK. But to hear them describe how it was to actually be there and experience such a thing is beyond belief. My prayers are for all the families of the people who were not as fortunate. HOW can it be that our world has become such a place? I pray the Lord comes quickly. Hope you all have a good week! Blessings to you all! Debbie

Oh Debbie, I so enjoyed reading this post and seeing the pictures. Those three kiddos are adorable, and little Miss Claire is an absolute doll. How good it was for you to have that lagniappe (cajun word for special, additional, out-of-the-ordinary) time with them.

Yes, these are new times for us all. It could be frightful if we didn't know to expect them and know the end of the story. So many lives have been torn apart in the past several months with natural disasters and now this. But, we know our God is still in control although evil is given its free reign until He returns. Blessings to you and yours, my friend.

The grands are so cute and I know exactly what you mean about having everybody smiling at the same time. Impossible! That said, the family photo came out really well. Glad that everyone enjoyed the wedding celebration and Claire looks so darling in the dress you made her.

I keep reminding myself that this isn’t Heaven yet...evil exists in this world and will until the Millennial reign. Sort of knocks the stuffing out of everyone (with some notable exceptions). My heart goes out to those who were there and I pray that they will be comforted.

What a special weekend! And, they are all so cute! And, such cute items you have made. Yes, our world is so sad and so full of sad and pitiful folks. But, thankfully for those of us who know Christ as our Savior, this world is not our home. Blessings!

What a wonderful weekend you had. Claire is adorable in her flower girl dress and you did such a great job on all of your sewing projects. That hoodie may be my favorite. What pattern did you use for that -- or did you just make it up?

Oh, and those tacos! They look so delicious!

So thankful that your kids' concert-going friends were all safe, but oh, what a terrifying thing to experience. And, as you said, our hearts go out to the families of those who were killed or injured. The Bible tells us things will get worse and worse in the end times ... so thankful that our God is in full control of it all.